• Poll
  • Map

Did it surprise you to learn how important mussels are to keeping our oceans clean and clear?

Play Sound
A - Oh boy did it ever!
B - No, I knew all that already
C - Um, what’s a mussel?
102 Likes 7586 Views
Autoplay on
Play Video
Like
Favourite

Does this important job surprise you?

Play again

Links


Activities

Mussel

 

A dark blue, black, or brown shellfish that has two long oval shells. You will find them on the rocky shore, clumped together and attached to rocks. Mussels are ‘filter feeders’ that play an important role in the health of our oceans.

Eagle ray

 

The eagle ray, or whai keo in Māori, is a large, diamond-shaped ocean creature with long pointed pectoral fins, a long tail, and a distinct head.

Orca

 

Orca, or maki and kākahi in Māori, are also known as ‘killer whale.' They are a large black and white 'toothed whales' that are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. Orca are apex predators, which means no other animal in the sea hunts and eats them. They have a large dorsal (back) fin and live in groups that hunt seals, fish, and penguin together. They can be found all over the world, including in New Zealand waters.

Harvesting

 

Taking food to be eaten. Usually harvesting takes place at a certain time of year, when that food is ripe or able to be taken without negative effects on an ecosystem.

Ecosystem

 

A group of plants, animals and other living things that live in the same place and help each other to survive.

Ray

 

A fish with a flattened diamond-shaped body, and a long, poisonous, barbed spine at the base of it's tail.

Click for more words!
Learn to Draw
Interviews with Experts
Hauraki Gulf
YOE adventures
Sea of Hope
SeaLegacy's Sea of Hope episode
Riley can't find the ocean here!
Does this important job surprise you?
Learn to Draw - Great White
Disappearing sea life?
Aihe (dolphin)
Why is plastic so bad for sea creatures?
Have you ever met a stingray?
What's so special about turtle shells?
Name this marine pest
Dolphin skin - it's amazing!
Are sharks bones made from noses?
Learn to Draw - Common Dolphin
Stop plastic!
Turtle Dad jokes
Which ocean job suits you best?
What is this creature?
Has it been too long?
Sharks - super fast swimmers
Sea Cleaners! Making a difference
Riley rescues a turtle!
How to hide in plain sight
Dr Ingrid Visser answers our questions about Orca
Whales can’t tell the difference between ...?
How far do little blue penguins swim?
Crazy plastic journey
Should sharks be protected?
What's so unique about Blue Duck Station?
How do you clean a dirty ocean?
How do stingrays swim?
Whakataukī - Māori Proverbs
Te haerenga wawau o te kirihou
Name a NZ marine pest
How Dad saved a dolphin!
Meet the tastiest creature in the ocean
Love Our Sea song for ECEs
Why call it a carpet shark?
What are zooplankton?
Why is biosecurity important?
Biggest island in the gulf?
Riley talks to a world record holder!
Hope Stories - Sea Cleaners
Mangōpare - Hammerhead shark
What is a food chain?
Where did all the kelp go?
Why do we call this a meatball?
Meet the humpback whale
Wheke - Octopus
An apex predator is ...
Learn to Draw - Bryde's Whale